Chapter 39: Party

Shiori helped Tsubame set up her futon. Tsubame stayed with Shiori during repairs to her house.

Her family thought the damage was from a gas line or a meteorite.

Tsubame suggested a rogue portal from another world. Her parents explained that the fire insurance claims forms didn’t have a ‘rogue portal’ checkbox.

Tsubame was quiet, thinking of her next question.

“When are you going back?” Tsubame asked

“To Nyx? When Symphon thinks my magic control is good enough.”

“Because he’s worried you’ll go crazy Royal Revenge Queen again?”

“I’m worried. It was scary. He’s worried if we wait here too long another faction will open a portal and attack.”

“Is that why he’s been helping you build magical defenses?”

“Yes,” Shiori answered, “and I need the practice.”

“What does Motohara-senpai want?”

“He’s not really our senpai.”

“Fine, what does Motohara-kun want?” Tsubame used the more intimate title.

“He disappeared after I was safe.”

Tsubame considered Shiori critically. “What do you want?”

Shiori smiled. “I wish things would go back to normal. I’m a magical Queen, but it’s dangerous. My birth mother was the Princess that accidentally doomed Nyx while trying to save it. It’s scary.”

Tsubame was quiet a moment longer, then shrugged. “Which one?”

“Huh?”

Tsubame raised her eyebrows. “Which one. Symphon or Motohara?”

“Uh,” Shiori mumbled, blushing.

“They fought a monster to save you, prioritizing you over their kingdoms. They’ll be here for the party tomorrow. It’ll be awkward if you string them both along.”

Shiori walked away, face red. “They’re my knights, not suitors. It sounds like you’re accusing me of keeping them both as lovesick puppies.”

“I would never accuse you of that!” Tsubame smiled. “I’m suggesting it. The drama of you stringing them along would sustain me for months. Maybe years!”

“Motohara-kun isn’t coming to the party.”

“Motohara-kun, huh? Not Motohara-san? Sounds like a suitor to me”

“You’re impossible.”

“He’s coming,” Tsubame said confidently. “He isn’t just your knight. He’s a suitor.”

“Bah!” Shiori said in frustration.

“I noticed you don’t even say -kun for Symphon. That’s far more close and friendly than saying -kun for Motohara-kun.”

Shiori paused. She hadn’t realized she felt that close to Symphon. She hated it when Tsubame was right.

As they settled in, Shiori sighed. “I’ve been meaning to thank you.”

“For what?” Tsubame asked as she set her alarm clock.

“Symphon’s worked with me to build magical defenses over my house. I’ve taken over the ones Motohara-kun built at our school. I didn’t have defenses like that in Nyx, but I had what you said.”

“What I said?”

“You said I was the only person you never had to manipulate into liking you.”

There was quiet in the dark bedroom before Tsubame quietly answered, “yes.”

“My defenses at the school let me know what people are thinking. Just the surface thoughts. It’s to detect if someone is manipulating people to threaten me.”

“It’s eye opening, knowing what people think. People don’t like you because of manipulation. They remember the times you helped them. They admire you. As Queen, I want to be thought of how the school thinks of you, Tsubame.”

After a moment she heard Tsubame’s teary voice: “Thank you.”

Shiori rolled over to give Tsubame privacy and pretended not to hear her friend’s muted tears.

* * *

The next day, there was a party for Shiori’s return. Both Skald and Remora cities were sending delegations to the new Queen.

“Have you picked one yet?” Tsubame asked while helping with preparations.

“They aren’t suitors,” Shiori said while rearranging furniture.

Shiori walked to their small backyard and tore a hole in reality. It took a lot of energy, which was nothing to a Queen.

That scared her. Using that much power, she felt the weight of generations of Royalty and the desire to reign and dominate.

The first portal brought Symphon and the Felthal elders, all tall like Symphon. They respected Symphon now that he was suitor to the Queen.

Knight. Knight to the Queen.

Shiori blushed furiously remembering how she had acted after her mother’s message and the Royals’ power controlling her. She had thrown herself onto Symphon’s shoulder sobbing. Thankfully, Symphon hadn’t mentioned it since.

“Did you blush at Symphon?” Tsubame asked. “That can’t be right. He’s your knight, not a suitor.”

Shiori blushed more and opened the next portal.

The Remora delegation was from Houses other than Praetor. Motohara wasn’t among them.

Shiori’s parents hosted the visiting dignitaries, who were confused by chopsticks. Shiori, the Queen, was the mistress and guest of honor. She wasn’t used to being important and didn’t like it. Being Queen was the most awkward thing ever.

She was wrong, of course. The most awkward thing ever was the gift from Felthal.

“What is it?” Shiori asked, hefting the golden art piece. She scanned the bas-relief sculpture and immediately blushed.

“Pure gold,” an elder explained, “an image of the new Queen and her two consorts.”

Shiori looked at Symphon, who was blushing too.

The piece depicted her, Symphon, and Motohara before kneeling Felthal soldiers. Shiori was throwing herself onto Symphon’s shoulder and sobbing.

She should have realized the Felthal Skald elders intended the gift as a statement to the Remoran delegation. The Queen preferred their suitor, not the Remoran.

She should have focused on the political implications, not on the word ‘consort’.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t alone. “Consort?!” Tsubame asked in a loud, innocent tone. “What is a consort? Exactly. In detail.”

Shiori thought Tsubame was, gram for gram, the most irritating person in the world.

The Remorans detected the Queen’s discomfort as a chance to sully the Skald’s gift. “An official romantic companion, but not a spouse. Powerful figures often keep them to fulfill such… duties.”

“Oh!” Tsubame said in dawning, fascinated understanding. “The Queen doesn’t have two suitors. They’re consorts. Is that like boy toys?”

Tsubame wasn’t the most irritating person in the world gram for gram. She was the unqualified grand champion.

Symphon quietly ate and avoided eye contact with anyone but his plate.

“Let’s bring out the dessert.” Shiori said, trying to sound calm.

She was going to cause an international incident in her first diplomatic meeting as a Queen. Her ineptitude would cause outright war.

“Desert? I had more questions about consorts!”

War would come, and Shiori would ensure Tsubame was the first casualty.

“Desert.” Shiori Spoke the word and every plate, including Symphon’s, flew away to the kitchen and cleaned itself. Every desert flew out and placed itself on the small coffee table in the middle.

In the action, the golden sculpture somehow vanished.

“Ah, oh well,” Tsubame said and rubbed her hands together as she planned to massacre the deserts.

“Strawberry cake?” Shiori said, confused. That hadn’t bought a strawberry cake for the party. It was already missing a piece.

Tsubame slid the cake away from Shiori. “Have mercy, my Queen. We’ve only the one.”

There would be a memorial for Tsubame, the first war casualty. A statue with a plaque that said, “She deserved it.”

Where did the cake come from?

Shiori turned her head to the front window. I couldn’t be.

Symphon stood ready for battle at whatever she sensed.

She waved a calming hand at him and he reluctantly sat as Shiori excused herself, put on her shoes, and walked out.

Motohara held a slice of strawberry cake on a plate with cream on one cheek.

“I’ve heard this cake is good, at least when missing friends.” He smiled.

“Where have you been?” She felt Symphon grow nervous as she lingered outside.

Motohara noticed her unease. “I can’t stay long. I’ve debts to pay.”

“Debts? Why don’t you come in? The Remoras…”

“Are here to negotiate a treaty. Trust me, I’ve wronged each in the Duke’s service. They hate me.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Queen Kawamura,” he protested, “I mean, Shiori-chan.”

Shiori blushed at the intimate title.

“They hate me for good reason,” he said.

“You weren’t in control.”

He turned too late to hide his watery eyes, “I hate myself for the things I’ve done.”

He blinked. “I’m not ready to serve you. I have debts. I’ve hurt a lot of people. I’ll find you, if I survive making amends.”

She felt pain in her heart. She wanted him nearby. That confused her, as she wanted the same from Symphon.

Dammit, she was going to talk to Tsubame about that ‘consort’ business.

“I’d better go before Symphon realizes I’m here.”

“He’s your half brother.”

Motohara smiled his sad smile. “We Remora are named after a man betrayed by his brother: Remus. He was betrayed by his brother, Romulus. Our ancestor brought his followers to Nyx. His brother stayed here, founded a place called ‘Rome’.”

“I’ve heard of it,” Shiori said, listening.

“Brothers don’t always get along. He has more reason than most to hate me.”

They were silent for more than a few heartbeats.

“You’ll come back to me?”

“It’s a promise.”

Then he vanished.

Shiori returned to the party, worried she’d find the delegates killing each other.

Instead, they sat in sick fascination as Tsubame massacred the deserts in a manner fit for epic poetry.

The tallest Skald elder, a massive man with a long beard, shook his head and said, “Wow,” as Tsubame secured housing for another éclair.